Chapter 15
Two weeks later, they had made it to the state championship game. Ella was grabbing her bag from her locker when she felt a tap on her shoulder. When the forward turned no one was there, she turned the other way and was met with a bouquet of red roses.
"Hey beautiful." Erin said with a smile, handing the roses to Ella.
"What's this for?" The forward asked with a lovestruck smile.
"Nothing at all, I just love you." Erin said, leaning in for a kiss.
"You're the best babe, but you know it’s your birthday tomorrow not mine.” The forward said with a wink, smelling the beautiful flowers.
Erin just smiled, taking the forwards hand and walking down the hall with her towards the locker rooms. “Let’s go win a championship.”
Ella and Erin took their usual spots beside each other in the locker room as they greeted the rest of their team.
They each had their own pre game rituals, but they still moved in unison. Both girls had their own music on as they put on their gear, stealing occasional glances towards one another.
Ella finished with a prayer as always before sitting down beside Erin and placing her hand over the keepers. They sat there for another minute, still with their headphones on until their songs ended.
Looking up at each other at the same time, the girls gave one another a small smile and nod before leading their team out of the locker room; hands still intertwined.
After the teams warmed up, they lined up for the national anthem to be sung. When that was done, the team huddled around Ella.
“Okay ladies, it has been a long time, way too long in fact since this team has been to this game. I pretty much said everything I needed to at practice yesterday so now it’s just up to all of us to go out there and play like we can, like we have been all season. I’m so proud of how hard you’ve all worked this season and I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to win this thing with! Let’s get em’ ladies. The team cheered and took the field. Erin tapped the forward’s butt before taking off to her net.
The game started off a bit slow, and neither side got many chances.
Just before half the other team got a breakaway. The quick forward broke through their defense and was one on one with Erin. She shot to ball high to the left corner, forcing Erin to dive and knock it just over the post with the tip of her fingers. The whistle blew right after the corner was taken and both teams walked off the field.
“Way to save our butts out there babe.” Ella said, as the team took their seats in the locker room.
Erin just smiled and patted the forward on the shoulder. When everyone had sat down Ella stood and walked into the middle of the room.
“Okay everyone, we all know that wasn’t our best playing out there, we’re lucky that Erin had our backs on that break away but we can’t rely on just her to win this game. We have another forty five minutes to show everyone what we’re made of, I know we can do this ladies, we just have to believe that we can alright? Now let’s go out there, score some goals and take that trophy to the bank! The team cheered and ran back out to the field, full of life and ready to win.
Erin stopped Ella before she got out the door. “You can do this babe, go get me a goal yeah?”
“Just for you baby.” Ella gave the keeper a quick kiss before following the rest of the team.
Everyone could tell as soon as the whistle blew that Urbana was ready to win it.
Five minutes into the half Kealia carried the ball deep into the left corner and crossed it in. The ball connected with Ella head and whipped past the keeper into the back of the net.
Ella immediately ran down the field towards her keeper who met her halfway and caught Ella in her arms. “That was awesome babe.” Erin put down the forward and jogged back to her net as play resumed.
The game kept a fast pace as the minutes ticked by. It stayed 1-1 until the eighty fifth minute when Meghan took down an opposing defender in the box, giving the other team a penalty kick.
Erin kept a straight face as the ref placed the ball on the penalty spot. She stared at the ball as she crouched on her line making herself big. The whistle blew and Erin dove to the right as the ball soared low into the left side of the net, tying the game.
“Fuck Erin I’m so sorry!” Tears filled Meghan’s eyes, feeling guilty for giving them the kick.
Erin was pissed but she knew getting mad would just make things worse.
“Hey,” Erin grabbed the small defender’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “It happened okay, it happened and you can’t take it back. Get out there and play like you can, this game isn’t over yet, now get your tiny butt back out on that defensive line alright?”
“O-okay.” Meghan wiped her tears away nodding at the keeper.
The clock hit ninety minutes and the ref signaled three minutes of extra time. Urbana was given a free kick just above center. Erin moved the team up, pushing them all into the box so she could take the kick. Erin found a gap and kicked to ball into the box. It bounced once before Ella made contact, volleying the ball with her right foot and going bar down beating the opposing keeper. The whistle blew and the home crowd went crazy as the fans flooded the field.
They had won the state championships.
After a long talk with their coach the team parted ways until their celebration dinner that night. Ella and Erin were walking hand in hand to the keeper’s car before Ella stopped dead in her tracks.
“Babe what-” Erin began before seeing why the forward had stopped. Across the parking lot was Ella mom.
Ella stared at her for a moment before continuing to Erin’s car.
“Ella!” Her mom shouted trying to stop the forward.
“I don’t want to talk to you!” Ella yelled back.
“Ella please just let me-”
“Leave me alone!” Ella got into the car and shut the door with Erin right behind her.
They drove away, and didn’t look back.
“Ella…”
“I don’t want to talk about it, can we just be happy that we won please. I’m not going to let her ruin that.”
Erin reached across the car and took Ella’s hand. “Of course. I love you Ella. You were a beast out there.”
“Thank you baby, you were too.”
The girls got home and Erin’s mom immediately pulled the both of them into a big hug as soon as the stepped in the door. “Girls that was amazing! Erin I’m so proud of you! And Ella you were incredible.”
“Thanks mom.” Erin blushed a little.
“Thank you Sharrell.” Ella smiled proudly.
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The team had a great night celebrating the team and each other. At the end of the night, the rest of the team and the coaches surprised both Erin and Ella with flowers, wishing them both luck at their camps.
“One more week…” Ella sighed, looking over at the keeper that night.
Erin gave a sad smile. “I love you Ella.”
“Love you more, goodnight babe.”
“Night beautiful.”